Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1887-06-09
CHARITABLE Mr.. BowssR
His Unfortunate Experience as Benefac-
tor and Dispenser OF Charity

his Unfortunate Experience as BenefAo-
tor and Dispenser OF Charity
don't want the public to get the
impression that Mr.. Bowser Is not o
good-hearted man. Such an idea
would do him grest injustice. He is a
little queer in some of his ways, but all
right as whole. and q more tender
hearted man never lived. When we
began housekeeping and got our first
hired girl, Mr.. Bowser called me into
the library, shut the door and dropped
his voice down to the confidential pitch
and said:
"Mrs. Bowser. let's start out right.
Let's respect the feelings of that poor
girl IN the kitchen"
Certainly"
"She's just as good as we are, and
we mustn't put on any airs over her.
She shall eat at the table with us, and
II she has any time from her work you
might learn her how to sing and play
the piano"
Il can't quite agree with you, Mr..
Bowser." \
'Oh, you can't! Woman's mortal
enemy is woman. Well, I'm going
out and have little talk with Eliza
and tell her what Pm willing to do"
listened at the kitchen door. Mr..
Bowser is no man to beat about the
bush. He went right at the business in
hand by saying:
ELIZA, nobility does not consist in
riches"
She slid away from him toward the
sink.
"You are not to blame for being in
your present position. How would you
like to take singing lossonsp"
She looked at him with open mouth.
"And learn to play the piano?"
She opened her mouth still wider
"And perhaps, learn how to sketch
and paint7"
She seized pan of water in the sink
and whirled on him with:
"You internal cross-eyed old repro
bate. to talk to an innocent girl in that
fashion! Get out Of my kitchen or I'll
drown you in minuter'
When we sat down to supper I
wondered why Eliza hadn't put on q
pTate for herself. and asked Mr.. Bowser
when l should begin her piano lessons.
Mrs. Bowser, have you lost the lit
tie sense You possessed two or three
months agop" he hotly exclaimed, and
! thought 1t best to let the subject drop
right there.
A few days after that boy about
eight years old came to the door to beg,
and as soon as Mr.. Bowser caught
sight OF, him he observed:
"Call the little shaver in and let him
see that the milk Of human Kindness
has not all dried@p. Now give him q
good breakfast
The cook stuffed him until he could
eat no more, and then Mr.. Bowser
brought him into the sitting-room and
cut his hair, washed the little ones
face with his own hands, and was going
to call the cook in to wash his feet,
when ! protested:
snow, Mr.. Bowser, that is going too
far. We don't keep county house
here"
Don't wep / wouldn't have your
mean spirit for oil the money in
America! 1t is just such people as you
who have added to the woes of poy-
erty and the wickedness of the world"
"But we can't make such a fuss over
every beggar that comes along"
"Nobody expects you to. You are
expected to stand in the door with a
crowbar and brain every poor unfort-
unate who stops to ask for q mouth
full of food. shall go home with this
boy. Iwant to have talk with his
father. and it may end in my adopting
him"
Mr.. Bowser led the boy away. and it
seemed, as ! afterwards came to know,
went home with him. When he left the
boys house q man was chasing him
with a shovel, and woman with hoe
handle was trying to head him of, and
the boy himself stood in the door and
clapped his hands. When Mr.. Bowser
came home asked what had become Of
his adopted son, and he roared at me:
"None Of your business! II had
your spirit I'd expect to be struck by
lightingr'
When we got our horse we got col
ored man to take care Of him, and at
their first interview heard Mr.. Bowser
say to him:
"Now, Mr.. johnson, you are not to
blame for either your color or your
lack Of education. You have not had
q show. Take that barn and manage
1t according to your own Judgment.
I've got suit Of clothes In the house
for you, and there are plenty Of books
in the library"
MIR. johnson took ten books from tho
library the first day Of his arrival. On
the second day he disappeared. So
did the books. SO did the harness and
robes and a lot Of tools. Mr.. Bowser
was furious. He wanted ten detectives
on tho case all at once, and as ho
started to telephone for them said:
"Perhaps he has retired to cave
with the ten books to enrich his mind"
"And perhaps I amt the biggest
IDIOT in the State Of Michigan for mar |
rying your he shouted back as he
ground away at tho crank and lifted |